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2011 EMSC Program News
Florida EMSC Surveys Populations on Disaster Plans (12/29/11)
The Florida EMSC Advisory Committee Disaster Workgroup developed and conducted a survey focused on disaster plans and policies as related to at-risk populations. Specific populations addressed in the survey include: pediatrics, neonatal, pregnant women, elderly, disabled, low/limited literacy, companion/service animals, and special medical needs. The survey was distributed to licensed EMS provider agencies and hospitals. Highlights from that survey are listed below:
When asked if the hospital/EMS agency has day-to day operations policies specifically addressing the following at-risk populations that would influence their actions during a disaster situation, the following responses were received:
- Pediatrics- 61.4% responded "Yes", 23.8% responded "No" and 14.9% responded "N/A"
- Neonatal- 55.4% responded "Yes", 26.7% responded "No" and 18.8% responded "N/A"
- Low/Limited Literacy- 40.6% responded "Yes", 48.5% responded "No" and 10.9% responded "N/A"
- Special Medical Needs- 70.3% responded "Yes", 22.8% responded "No" and 7.9% responded "N/A"
When asked if their hospital/EMS agency has disaster plans specifically addressing the following at-risk populations, the following responses were received:
- Pediatrics- 41.6% responded "Yes", 41.6% responded "No" and 16.8% responded "N/A"
- Neonatal- 35.6% responded "Yes", 45.5% responded "No" and 18.8% responded "N/A"
- Special Medical Needs- 74.3% responded "Yes", 19.8% responded "No" and 5.9% responded "N/A"
For more information about this survey, contact Melissa Keahey, Florida EMSC program manager.
The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) has released a new resource for maternal and child health (MCH) professionals working in state agencies and at the community level who are seeking to advance their learning and skills mastery. The MCH Navigator is a learning portal that links individuals to existing open-access training, organized in areas consistent with nationally endorsed public health and MCH leadership competencies. Online training resources, archived webcasts and webinars, instructional modules, and self-guided short courses have undergone academic review and vetting.
Dr. Michael Lu Appointed as the New Associate Administrator for Maternal and Child Health (11/18/11)
Michael Lu, MD, MPH, has been appointed as the new associate administrator for the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCH Bureau Director). Dr. Lu is the current chair of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality and is an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and public health at the University of California Los Angeles.
Dr. Lu is widely recognized for his research, teaching, and clinical care, receiving the 2003 National Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Young Professional Achievement Award and the 2004 American Public Health Association Maternal and Child Health Section Young Professional Award. He recently served on the Institute of Medicine Committee on Understanding Prematurity and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Select Panel on Preconception Care.
EMSC State Partnership Regionalization of Care FAQ's Released (11/17/11)
The EMSC Program has released the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) from the State Partnership Regionalization of Care (SPROC) conference call held on November 1, 2011. Should you have any additional questions, please contact Theresa Morrison-Quinata.
Washington EMSC FAN Representative Receives American Red Cross "Real Hero" Award (11/11/11)
On November 3, Jean Rickerson, the Washington State EMSC Family Advisory Network (FAN) representative, accepted the American Red Cross 'Real Hero' Award in recognition of her work in raising awareness about sports-related concussions.
What began as a quest to educate herself about her 16-year-old son's concussion led Rickerson to create SportsConcussions.org, one of the leading concussion education organizations in the country. The organization is staffed by volunteers from throughout the nation that work with sports teams, leagues, schools, and individuals seeking help with injury management, location of resources, or concussion policy development. Through the iBaselineTM program, SportsConcussions.org offers computerized baseline testing to athletes nationwide.
Rickerson's son, a high school quarterback, was speared during a game in November 2008 and was cleared by the emergency room staff that night and two additional doctors several days after his injury. He deteriorated five days later and was transported to a trauma center in Seattle, WA. His recovery took four months but did not require surgery. Rickerson's son is currently a physics major in college and plays on the baseball team.
The NRC Now Accepting Applications for its Advisory Council (11/10/11)
The EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) Advisory Council has been in existence for two years. After two productive meetings, we would like to take this opportunity to formalize the council. The reformatted group will be composed of 12 members. Six of these positions will be filled by application and open to EMSC grantees; healthcare professionals serving in the emergency care system; and consumer or family representatives.
If you are interested in applying for one of these six positions, please follow the attached instructions for submitting your application materials. Note that all applications are due Friday, December 9. The first meeting of the council will be held February 16-17, 2012, in the Washington, DC-area. More information on the council, including membership terms, requirements, and council activities, may be found in the attached advisory council bylaws. We encourage you to apply for a position on this dynamic group and to have a voice in shaping future activities of the EMSC NRC. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Karen Belli, NRC senior public policy and partnership specialist, at email@example.com or 301-244-6227.
EMSC Program Visits the Pacific Region (11/4/11)
Last month, the federal EMSC Program conducted a Guam site visit and also met with the Pacific Islands EMSC Region (PIER). The visit included tours of several Fire/EMS stations, the Guam Memorial Hospital Authority, and the Disaster Communication and Coordination Center housed at the Office of Civil Defense. Federal Program staff also met with territorial/state EMSC Program Managers Marlene Carbullido and Roma Basa (Guam), Dwayne Lopez (Hawaii), Tom Manglona (Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands), and Fuapopo Avegalio (American Samoa). Program managers were joined by hospital Transfer Managers/Administrators Denise Kekuna (Hawaii), Katrina Sanchez (Guam), and Jane Feru (American Samoa) as inter-island transfer and access to pediatric specialty services were a focal point of the meeting.
The following individuals participated in five days of discussions: Guam Senator Dennis Rodriguez, Jr. (center, row 2), members from the Guam EMS Commission and the EMSC Advisory Committee, and staff from the federal EMSC Program and EMSC Resource Centers. Senator Rodriguez presented representatives from PIER and the federal EMSC Program with certificates of recognition for their support and commitment to "EMSC Excellence on Guam and the Pacific Region." To learn more about the site visit and the meeting, contact meeting host Marlene Carbullido.
EMSC Program Launches "PEDPrepared," A Pediatric Disaster Clearinghouse (11/3/11)
In its 2010 Report to the President and Congress, the National Commission on Children and Disasters drew attention to the limited availability and inaccessibility of resources for pediatric disaster preparedness. To help address this shortfall, the EMSC Program developed "PEDPrepared," an informational network of resources targeting healthcare providers, emergency and community planners, and families. Its primary purpose is to help communities achieve an optimal level of emergency readiness for children who are involved in an environmental, health, or man-made disaster.
This comprehensive clearinghouse compiles more than 450 resources from a variety of federal, state, and local government informational sources, including national health- and disaster-related organizations.
The EMSC National Resource Center would like your feedback! Please e-mail any suggestions or additional resources that you feel should be added to the clearinghouse to firstname.lastname@example.com.
North Carolina EMSC Program Creates Online Training on Proper Child Restraints in Emergency Vehicles (10/28/11)
The North Carolina EMSC program, in collaboration with the North Carolina Office of EMS, has created the online training program Here to Help: Proper Child Restraints in Emergency Vehicles.
This 60-minute program addresses the importance of restraining children when being transported in an ambulance and demonstrates the use of a variety of child restraint devices. Students that complete the quiz at the end of the training and receive a passing grade of at least 70% will be eligible to apply for one hour of continuing education credit.
For further information on this program, contact North Carolina EMSC Program Manager Gloria Hale at email@example.com.
Alabama EMSC to Sponsor Training on Cultural Competency (10/24/11)
On November 1, the Alabama EMSC program, in conjunction with the Alabama Public Health Association, will sponsor Emergencia: Can You Communicate? What Do You Know About EMSC? The training will take place in Clanton, AL. EMSC Program Manager Katherine Dixon Hert and EMSC Principal Investigator Ann Klasner, MD, MPH, will discuss the EMSC program in the state of Alabama, and provide a brief overview of the performance measures. In addition, Julia Sosa, MS, RD, will discuss key phrases needed to communicate with non-English speaking patients.
Upcoming Federal EMSC Town Hall Conference Call Scheduled for October 31 (10/21/11)
The federal EMSC Program will host an EMSC Town Hall Conference Call for all State Partnership (SP) grantees from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (Eastern) on Monday, October 31. To participate in the call, dial the Health Resources and Service Administration's (HRSA) conference line at 866-823-9065 and enter meeting code: 1346468. The main topic of discussion will be the non-competing continuation progress report guidance.
EMSC NRC and NEDARC Publish Article on Organized Interfacility Transfer Processes (10/20/11)
The October 2011 issue of Pediatric Emergency Care (Vol. 27, Issue 10, Pgs. 900-906) features the article "Organized interfacility transfer processes: an opportunity to improve pediatric emergency care." Written by the EMSC National Resource Center's (NRC) Diana Fendya, MSN(R), RN, and Karen Belli and the National EMSC Data Analysis and Resource Center's (NEDARC) Andrea Genovesi, MA; Kent Page, MStat; and Donald Vernon, MD, the article examines EMSC state partnership grantee data to determine the proportion of hospitals with established guidelines and agreements for the interfacility transfer of children. To obtain a "fair use copy," please e-mail email@example.com
EMSC's Nathan Kuppermann Awarded 2011 ACEP Award for Outstanding Contribution in Research (10/20/11)
Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MPH, principal investigator for the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network's (PECARN), Pediatric Research in Injuries and Medical Emergencies (PRIME) Node, received the American College of Emergency Physicians' (ACEP) 2011 Award for Outstanding Contribution in Research.
Dr. Kuppermann has published nearly 100 research papers in leading journals and his primary areas of study are pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis-associated cerebral edema, clinical and laboratory evaluation of febrile children, and laboratory and radiographic evaluation of pediatric trauma patients.
Dr. Kuppermann was elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2011 and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Pediatric Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Research Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Emergency Medicine and the EMSC National Hero's Award for Outstanding Research Project.
Dr. Kuppermann served as chair of the PECARN Steering Committee from its creation in 2001 through 2008. In 2011, he helped to further develop the field of pediatric emergency medicine in Argentina, and is helping to develop the first pediatric emergency medicine research network in Argentina and Uruguay. Congratulations on this extraordinary accomplishment!
EMSC State Partnership Regionalization of Care (SPROC) Grant Released (10/18/11)
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has released the new funding opportunity for the EMSC State Partnership Regionalization of Care (SPROC) Demonstration Grant Program.
This funding opportunity seeks grant proposals for the development of model programs to improve the transfer of pediatric patients to specialty medical centers through the process of a regionalized system of care. The populations of focus for this grant program are children and families in tribal, U.S. territorial, insular, or rural areas that are in geographically isolated areas with limited access to pediatric specialty resources that are needed to treat severely ill and injured children.
Oftentimes, children are transported outside their community on an adhoc basis in which the choice to transport is made on an event-by-event basis. This grant looks to support efforts to establish policies and procedures that would develop and institute an organized, pre-planned, pre-event process that is well-prepared to locally manage or immediately transport the injured or critically ill child without delay; and the Program aims to encourage the sharing of resources by reaching beyond state borders to overcome barriers to specialized pediatric medical and trauma services.
Qualified Applicants: The EMSC Program authorization, Public Health Service Act, Title XIX, Section 1910 (42 U.S.C. 300w-9), as amended by sec. 5603, P.L 111-148, defines eligible applicants as the state lead EMS agency or a medical institution designated by the lead EMS agency to administer the grant program. The lead applicant must be an EMSC state partnership grantee and must partner with at least one of the populations of focus (government or non-government organizations and institutions in tribal, territorial, insular, or rural geographical areas). The population focus for this application is the children and families in tribal, territorial, insular, or rural geographical areas. Applications that fail to demonstrate partnerships with the populations of focus (communities and residents in tribal, territorial, insular, or rural geographical areas) will not be considered.
Applicants must demonstrate established relationships with the populations of focus (tribal, U.S. territorial, insular or rural locales). Applications must include an innovative partnership-building plan that assures collaboration between U.S. jurisdictions and tribal, territorial, insular, or rural communities and residents; and must be in compliance with Executive Order 13166 (Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency). It is expected that State Partnership applicants will be a conduit for access to pediatric resources, and that the populations of focus will be an expert on the type of innovations that will address the needs in their local jurisdiction.
To apply for this funding opportunity please visit the Grants.gov website. Applications are due into Grants.gov by February 3, 2012, at 8:00 pm ET. A conference call will be held to answer technical questions related to the Grant Guidance. Specific details and call-in information will be included in the Guidance. For additional information, please contact Theresa Morrison-Quinata.
EMSC Runs Ad in GFWC Clubwoman Magazine; Calls for Local Chapters to Partner with EMSC Grantees (10/14/11)
The EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) is running a ½ page ad in the November/December issue of Clubwomen, the official magazine of the General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC). The ad encourages GFWC chapters to work with EMSC State Partnership grantees to acquire missing pediatric equipment, supplies, and medication for local ambulances and emergency departments (ED). The ad is part of the Pediatric Jump Kit Bag Initiative, a national strategic partnership between the EMSC NRC and GFWC.
The impetus for the EMSC/GFWC partnership began in 2002 when the Oconomowoc Junior Woman's Club (OJWC), a local chapter of the national GFWC, and the Wisconsin EMSC Advisory Board identified a gap in pediatric EMS care. Noting a lack of pediatric equipment on ambulances in certain areas of Wisconsin, the two groups created a strategic partnership to fund and place pediatric "Jump Kit" bags – specialized kits that put critical pediatric emergency supplies in one place to help EMS respond to pediatric calls with organized, easily accessible, and properly-sized equipment – on every ambulance in Waukesha County, WI. Today, the partnership has raised more than $300,000, and approximately 65% of the state's EMS agencies have access to the bags.
In 2011, the EMSC NRC and GFWC developed a national strategic partnership to encourage and market the Wisconsin model to other states and territories in an effort to produce similar outcomes. EMSC programs in Florida, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania have successfully replicated the program. For more information about the partnership or how states can get involved, visit the EMSC NRC website or contact Ian Weston, EMSC NRC co-director.
EMSC Grantee Awarded 2011 Fellow Achievement Award from AAP (10/13/11)
On October 17, Joseph Wright, MD, MPH, FAAP, principal investigator for the EMSC National Resource Center will receive the 2011 Fellow Achievement Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for his exceptional contribution to the field of injury, violence, and poison prevention. This honor reflects more than 20 years of leadership in the Academy, and achievement in the fields of pediatrics, emergency medical services, and public health.
Dr. Wright served as the immediate past and inaugural chair of the AAP Violence Prevention Subcommittee and is a current member of the AAP Committee on Pediatric Emergency Medicine. He is a lead author of "The Role of the Pediatrician in Youth Violence Prevention" policy statement and a leading national spokesperson on the issue of bullying and bullying prevention.
Dr. Wright is a select participant in the Federal Partnership on Bullying Prevention efforts and serves as a programming advisor to the Sesame Street Workshop's Child Resilience Initiative. A full professor of Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, and Health Policy at the George Washington University, Dr. Wright is also an inductee to Delta Omega, the nation's public health honor society. Congratulations Dr. Wright on this outstanding recognition!
HRSA Pre-Notice Funding Announcement for EMSC State Partnership Grantees (10/06/11)
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) anticipates the release of the grant guidance for a new funding opportunity for EMSC State Partnership Grantees this fiscal year; the EMSC State Partnership Regionalization of Care (SPROC) Demonstration Grant Program. HRSA anticipates awarding three to four successful applicants of up to $200,000 per grant award.
The EMSC Program will seek grant proposals for the development of model programs to improve the transfer of pediatric patients to specialty medical centers through the process of a regionalized system of care. The populations of focus for this grant program are children and families in tribal, U.S. territorial, insular, or rural areas that are in geographically isolated areas with limited access to pediatric specialty resources that are needed to treat severely ill and injured children.
Oftentimes, children are transported outside their community on an adhoc basis in which the choice to transport is made on an event-by-event basis. This grant looks to support efforts to establish policies and procedures that would develop and institute an organized, pre-planned, pre-event process that is well-prepared to locally manage or immediately transport the injured or critically ill child without delay; and the Program aims to encourage the sharing of resources by reaching beyond state borders to overcome barriers to specialized pediatric medical and trauma services.
Qualified Applicants: The EMSC Program authorization, Public Health Service Act, Title XIX, Section 1910 (42 U.S.C. 300w-9), as amended by sec. 5603, P.L 111-148, defines eligible applicants as the state lead EMS agency or a medical institution designated by the lead EMS agency to administer the grant program. The lead applicant must be an EMSC state partnership grantee and must partner with at least one of the populations of focus (government or non-government organizations and institutions in tribal, territorial, insular, or rural geographical areas). The population focus for this application is the children and families in tribal, territorial, insular, or rural geographical areas. Applications that fail to demonstrate partnerships with the populations of focus (communities and residents in tribal, territorial, insular, or rural geographical areas) will not be considered.
Applicants must demonstrate established relationships with the populations of focus (tribal, U.S. territorial, insular or rural locales). Applications must include an innovative partnership-building plan that assures collaboration between U.S. jurisdictions and tribal, territorial, insular, or rural communities and residents; and must be in compliance with Executive Order 13166 (Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency). It is expected that State Partnership applicants will be a conduit for access to pediatric resources, and that the populations of focus will be an expert on the type of innovations that will address the needs in their local jurisdiction.
More details on the application process and deadlines to follow. A conference call will be held to answer technical questions related to the Grant Guidance. Specific details and call-in information will be included in the Guidance. For additional information, please contact Theresa Morrison-Quinata.
EMSC Appropriations Update (10/07/11)
As reported last week, the current fiscal year (FY 2011) ended on Friday, September 30. Congress, however, has yet to enact any of the FY 2012 appropriations bills. Without annual appropriations bills in place to fund its activities, the government would shut down. To prevent this from happening, Congress has approved and the President has signed into law a continuing appropriations bill that funds government agencies and programs until November 18. The bill implements a 1.5% across-the-board cut to all federal programs. For the EMSC Program, this amounts to a $320,500 decrease below its current funding level of $21.369 million.
Looking forward, Congress has begun to consider funding federal programs past November 18. Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill (S. 1599) funding programs within the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education for the remainder of FY 2012. The bill would bring EMSC Program funding back up to $21.369 million. In contrast, however, the House Appropriations Committee's version of the bill funding programs within these three departments requests that the EMSC Program receive no funding for the remainder of FY 2012. Remember that the House, the Senate, and the President will have to come to an agreement on a final funding amount before it becomes law.
Wisconsin EMSC Utilizes Supplemental Funding to Provide Pediatric JumpKits to MRC and DMRT Teams (09/30/11)
The Wisconsin EMSC program reports that it used EMSC State Partnership supplemental funds to purchase six Pediatric JumpKit Bags, one for each of the five Wisconsin Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units and one for the Wisconsin Disaster Medical Response Team (DMRT). The distribution of these kits will complement the Pediatric Jump Kit project, an ongoing collaborative effort between the Wisconsin General Federation of Women's Club, Wisconsin-Upper Michigan (WI-UP) Kiwanis Clubs, and EMSC to place Pediatric JumpKit Bags on every ambulance throughout the state.
Arizona's AAP Chapter Launches Voluntary Certification Program for Pediatric Emergency Care (09/29/11)
The Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AzAAP) recently launched Pediatric-Prepared Emergency Care, a voluntary certification program recognizing hospitals prepared to stabilize and/or manage pediatric medical emergencies. The Arizona EMSC program initiated the development of the program by working with stakeholders in 2008 to create criteria and identify a model that would work works best in the state. The program initiative is funded by the Arizona EMSC program, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), and Bureau of Women's and Children's Health (BWCH).
Three tiers of certifications are available: Prepared, Prepared Plus, or Prepared Advanced. Pediatric-Prepared Emergency Care opened applications for membership in August, with the approval of the first round of certifications projected to occur this November.
Oregon EMSC Spearheads Drill on Rapid Assessment and Transport and Recognition of Injuries (09/26/11)
The Oregon EMSC program, the Oregon Department of Rural Health, and the Oregon Department of Transportation sponsored a Mass Casualty Incident Drill that focused on rapid assessment and transport and recognition of injuries. The purpose of this particular drill was to deliver pediatric education to the rural areas of Oregon.
The drill – which utilized robotic mannequins that could breathe, blink and talk – simulated a parking lot fender-bender that turned deadly at a local high school when two vans collided. Ambulances, fire trucks, and a helicopter were used in the drill. The drill provided "multiple patients with a whole different array of injuries, from minor to very, very serious." Following the drill, a debriefing session allowed all responders to discuss the positives and negatives of how the drill unfolded. For more information about the drill, read the news report High Tech Test for EMS (Chinook Observer, September 6, 2011).
The EMSC NRC and the DC EMSC Program Celebrate National Preparedness Month (09/22/11)
The EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) partnered with the District of Columbia's EMSC State Partnership program to host a National Preparedness Month event at Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC. This special outreach event helped raise awareness and encourage the local community to begin taking simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, communities, and businesses. The event featured fun giveaways, educational resources, and an opportunity for children and their families to build their own disaster kit.
The EMSC NRC would love to know how you celebrated National Preparedness Month in your state or territory. Please email, message or tweet us with your stories and pictures.
NEDARC Releases EMSC Survey Respondent Fact Sheet Templates (Editable Versions) (09/21/11)
The National EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center (NEDARC) has just released the 2010-2011 EMSC Survey Respondent Fact Sheet Templates (six editable PDF versions) containing the national performance measure results. The fact sheet templates are designed to be disseminated to those who completed the surveys (i.e., EMS agency managers and hospital emergency department managers/trauma coordinators).
To view the videos with instructions concerning editing, folding the fact sheets, or to download the editable PDF templates, check out the NEDARC tutorial page called For EMSC Grantees.
Kentucy EMSC Program Welcomes New Program Manager (09/16/11)
The Kentucky EMSC program is proud to welcome Morgan Scaggs as their new program manager. Ms. Scaggs grew up in Northeastern Kentucky and Southern Ohio and while attending Ohio University first became interested in EMS by earning her NREMT certification in 1993 and then NREMT-P in 1995. In 2000, Ms. Scaggs earned her CCEMT-P.
PECARN Celebrates 10th Anniversary! (09/15/11)
This week, the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) celebrates its 10th anniversary. PECARN received initial funding in 2001 through the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Network Development Demonstration Project (NDDP) competitive funding mechanism. PECARN is the first federally-funded, multi-institutional network for research in pediatric emergency medicine.
Since its inception, PECARN has grown from four Research Node Centers (RNCs) to six with 18 associated Hospital Emergency Department Affiliates (HEDAs) that serve approximately 1.2 million acutely ill and injured children each year. PECARN has published more than 30 papers and 60 abstracts, and continues to make invaluable contributions to the field of pediatric emergency care. Congratulations on 10 years PECARN!
TX EMSC Program Honors Champions for Children (09/12/11)
The Texas EMSC program recently held its first annual EMSC Champions for Children Awards, honoring six individuals for their unwavering dedication and commitment to improving emergency medical care for children with special health care needs and for all children across the state. This year's winners include: Jake Pinner; Jeanine Pinner; Daniel Wiederhold; Debbie Wiederhold; Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-TX); and Representative Elliott Naishtat (D-TX).
To read more on the awardees and their champion campaigns, please read the latest issue of the Pony Express.
California EMSC Embarks Upon Several New Endeavors! (09/09/11)
The California EMSC program is currently writing the document "Regulations for EMS for Children in the State of California." This process began in March 2011 and will be an ongoing two-year project. In collaboration with the EMS Authority and the EMSC Technical Advisory Committee, California EMSC is also developing the following: "Guidelines for Prehospital Pediatric Protocol Development," "Guidelines for Pediatric Interfacility Transport Program," and "Interfacility Pediatric Trauma and Critical Care Consultation and/or Transfer Guidelines."
On November 10, 2011, the California EMSC program will host the 14th Annual EMSC Educational Forum in Sacramento, CA. For the past 13 years, the conference has provided an opportunity for EMTs, paramedics, and nurses to learn about vital children's issues and the new trends in emergency medicine. This year's conference will focus on current EMSC techniques, assessments, research, events, and injury prevention efforts.
Florida EMSC Partners with State School Nurses Association to Offer Emergency Training for Schools (09/08/11)
The Florida EMSC program is working with the Florida Association of School Nurses (FASN) to provide the School Emergency Triage Training (S.E.T.T) program to school nurses and other staff in each of the ten regions within the state. S.E.T.T is a nationally recognized curriculum from the National Association of School Nurses.
2012 Annual EMSC Program Meeting Information Released (09/07/11)
The EMSC Program will host its 2012 Annual Program Meeting from May 7-11, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda in Bethesda, MD. May 7 is reserved for the National Association of State EMS Officials' Pediatric Emergency Care Council. An EMSC pre-conference workshop will be held May 8, and the EMSC Program Meeting will start the morning of May 9 and end May 11.
The room rate at the Hyatt Regency will be $224.00 per room/per night, plus applicable sales tax, currently at 13%. Room rates are available three days pre/post meeting. Online registration through the EMSC National Resource Center website will open in mid-March 2012. Participants must make their own hotel reservations by calling the Hyatt Regency Bethesda directly. The EMSC Program cannot reserve rooms on the attendee's behalf.
Invitation to Join a National Expert Panel: Children's Safety Initiative in EMS (09/06/11)
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) — in partnership with the National Association of EMS Physicians, the National Association of State EMS Officials, the EMS Medical Directors Consortium, and the American Academy of Pediatrics Subcommittee on EMS — is beginning a National Institutes of Health-funded research study of the safety and quality of prehospital EMS care for children. This week, OHSU released an invitation to participate in an expert panel to develop national safety indicators and guidelines for prehospital EMS care of children. Panelists will help identify key issues involved in such care and the input provided may lead to changes in national guidelines and standards of care.
The invitation is for all EMS professionals, including EMTs, physicians, medical directors, program managers, and directors. To participate, send a note of interest to email@example.com.
Columbia University Seeks PECARN Nodal Administrator (09/02/11)
Columbia University is accepting applications for its nodal administrator position to provide administrative leadership for its Pediatric Emergency Medicine Northeast, West and South (PEM-NEWS) research node. PEM-NEWS is one of the six newly funded Pediatric Emergency Care Research Network (PECARN) research nodes. This position will require organizational and budgetary planning for multiple ongoing and planned research studies conducted across different sites, facilitation and monitoring of research within the PEM-NEWS node, and financial reconciliation. For additional information and to apply for the position, visit the Columbia University website.
South Carolina Welcomes New Program Manager (09/01/11)
Elizabeth Walker-Sheppard is the new EMSC program manager for the state of South Carolina. Ms. Walker-Sheppard has been with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for the last four years and was most recently with DHEC's Division of Public Health Statistics and Information Systems collecting data for South Carolina's death and birth records and ensuring the quality of data for statistical purposes. She is excited to be in her new role helping improve the quality of pediatric services in South Carolina. In her free time, Ms. Walker-Sheppard enjoys taking her two-year old to the park and zoo. Welcome to the EMSC family!
ENA Appoints North Carolina's First EMSC SP Manager as New Executive Director (09/01/11)
The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) just named Susan Hohenhaus, MA, RN, as their new executive director. ENA represents more than 39,000 emergency department nurses in the U.S. and overseas. Ms. Hohenhaus previously served as the director of ENA's Institute for Quality Safety and Injury Prevention, and was also the president of Hohenhaus and Associates, a health care consulting company. As executive director of ENA, she will be responsible for the effective operations of the Association and will partner with the Board of Directors and staff to promote vision, transparency, and collaboration.
Ms. Hohenhaus is an internationally recognized expert in patient safety strategies, particularly in pediatric emergency care, as well as in teamwork and communication initiatives. She has 30 years experience as a staff nurse, administrator, educator, and served in a public policy role as North Carolina's first state program manager for EMSC. Ms. Hohenhaus is the long-time author of "Pediatric Update" in ENA's member newsletter Connections and the 2005 recipient of the EMSC National Heroes Award "Project Coordinator of Distinction."
GFWC and EMSC Partnership Help Save Young Boy's Life! (08/26/11)
Last week, two-year old Elliot Wintersheidt accidentally swallowed a grape and began choking. Unable to get air, Elliot's father Paul Wintersheidt called 911. Superior Firefighter Jeremiah Glonek was the first to arrive on the scene. He carried with him a new Pediatric Jump Kit bag, a specialized kit that puts critical pediatric emergency supplies in one place to help EMS respond to pediatric calls with organized, easily accessible, and properly-sized equipment. Glonek immediately pulled out the appropriately size equipment to dislodge the grape and provide oxygen to help Elliot breathe until the ambulance arrived.
The Superior Fire Department of Wisconsin received the Pediatric Jump Kit in February 2011 from the Superior Kiwanis Club, a partner with the General Federation of Women's Club (GFWC) in WI. GFWCs throughout the country are partnering with the EMSC National Resource Center on behalf of the EMSC Program to work with local EMS departments, EMS agencies, Junior Women's clubs, and other community clubs to fund and equip ambulances with the pediatric bags. Glonek is very thankful for the donation, stating "the bags are labeled, contain the exact equipment we need, and the sizes are in their own bags so it makes it much easier." For more information about this project, contact Wisconsin FAN Representative Elizabeth Davy.
Oregon EMSC Secures Additional Funding to Purchase Pediatric Equipment (08/19/11)
The Oregon EMSC program has secured funding through the Public Health Emergency Response fund, EMSC Program, and the state general fund to purchase and distribute pediatric equipment – including Pedi-Mate child restraint systems, immobilization boards, Peds Thomas Kits, BLS/ALS kits, and EZ-IO kits – to transporting EMS agencies in the state.
According to Philip Engle, Oregon EMSC program manger, "This effort was a great example of how EMSC activities, such as performance measure 72, can help the program identify geographical gaps in the state that are missing prehospital pediatric equipment." Oregon EMSC also partnered with the Oregon Hospital Preparedness Program to distribute Thomas Pediatric Kits to be placed with agencies and mass casualty incident trailers caches around the state. The distribution of the equipment took into account number of transporting vehicles, estimated pediatric patients served, and priority of agency needs.
EMSC Announces New PECARN Awards (08/15/11)
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program announced today that it will fund six Research Node Centers (RNC) through the competitive funding mechanism known as the Network Development Demonstration Project (NDDP). These six RNCs form the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), the first federally funded, multi-institutional network for research in pediatric emergency medicine. PECARN has been in existence since 2001 and has conducted high priority, collaborative research in pediatric emergency medicine.
The six awardees are:
Pittsburgh, Rhode Island, Delaware Network (PRIDENET). Led by Principal Investigator Bob Hickey, MD, of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, this Node will include the following HEDAs: Children's Hospital of Pittsburg (Bob Hickey, MD, principal investigator); Hasboro Children's Hospital (Tom Chun, MD, principal investigator); and AI Dupont Hospital for Children (Jonathan Bennett, MD, principal investigator).
Pediatric Emergency Medicine Northeast, West and South (PEM-NEWS). Led by Principal Investigator Peter Dayan, MD, MSc, of Children's Hospital of New York, this Node will include the following HEDAs: Children's Hospital of New York (Maria Kwok, MD, MPH, principal investigator); Texas Children's Hospital (Charles Macias, MD, MPH, principal investigator); and Children's Hospital Colorado (Lalit Bajaj, MD, MPH, principal investigator).
Hospitals of the Midwest Emergency Research Node (HOMERUN). Led by Principal Investigator Rich Ruddy, MD, of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, this Node will include the following HEDAs: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (Lynne Babcock Cimpello, MD, MPH, principal investigator); Washington University School of Medicine (David Jaffe, MD, principal investigator); and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin-Medical College of Wisconsin (David Brousseau, MD, principal investigator).
Great Lakes Emergency Medical Services for Children Research Network (GLEMSCRN). Led by Principal Investigator Rachel Stanley, MD, MHSA, of University of Michigan, this Node will include the following HEDAs: University of Michigan (Alex Rogers, MD, principal investigator); Children's Hospital of Michigan (Prashant Mahajan, MD, MBA, MPH, principal investigator); and Nationwide Children's Hospital (Bema Bonsu, MD, principal investigator).
Washington, Boston, Chicago Applied Research Node (WBCARN). Led by Principal Investigator Jim Chamberlain, MD, of Children's National Medical Center, this Node will include the following HEDAs: Children's National Medical Center (Kathy Brown, MD, principal investigator); Children's Memorial Hospital (Elizabeth Powell, MD, MPH, principal investigator); and Children's Hospital of Boston (Lise Nigrovic, MD, MPH, principal investigator).
Pediatric Research in Injuries and Medical Emergencies (PRIME). Led by Principal Investigator Nate Kuppermann, MD, MPH, of University of California-Davis, this Node will include the following HEDAs: University of California-Davis (Leah Tzimenatos, MD, principal investigator); Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Libby Alpern, MD, MSCE, principal investigator); and Primary Children's University of Utah (Doug Nelson, MD, principal investigator).
For more information, visit the PECARN website. Note that the website has not been updated to reflect the new grant recipients.
State Partnership Grantees Utilizes Supplemental Funds to Expand Training (08/15/11)
Recently, EMSC State Partnership grantees were given the opportunity to apply for $13,000 in supplemental funds to be utilized within their current EMSC scope of work. Last week, we reported on how three states plan to use the funds. Here, we report on the ideas presented by Nebraska and North Dakota.
Nebraska proposes to collaborate with the Iowa EMSC program to set up a simulation unit to travel throughout Nebraska and Iowa to perform pediatric scenarios. The intention would be to utilize the information that Richard Lammers, MD, EMSC targeted issue grantee for Michigan, presented at the 2011 EMSC State Partnership Program Manager's Meeting concerning the use of simulation stations to train ALS and BLS provider's continuing education classes.
Nebraska has worked well with the Iowa EMSC program in providing pediatric equipment through a partnership with Kiwanis. The simulation unit will allow both states to provide higher-end training to those that received the pediatric equipment. The simulation education will also be utilized to train Nebraska physician medical directors who in turn can train EMS and school nurses.
North Dakota
As of July 1, 2011, EMS Administrative Rule changes require all North Dakota ambulance services to carry pediatric equipment as per National Pediatric Equipment Guidelines. Based on the results of the Emergency Medical Services for Children: Pediatric Medical Direction and Equipment Survey, 64% of BLS ambulance rigs and 36% of ALS ambulance rigs were missing pediatric lower extremity traction devices. With the additional supplemental funding, North Dakota would purchase and provide close to 100 of the 167 needed pediatric lower extremity traction devices. Priority would be given to rural EMS agencies where services are often provided by volunteers and funding for equipment is a critical challenge. With the recent prolonged flooding and the loss of nearly 6,000 homes, schools and churches, the North Dakota EMSC would utilize some of its funds to reproduce and distribute fact sheets to shelters, hospitals, and clinics regarding children and disasters, psychological first aid, and helping children cope with being displaced from their homes, among other topics. Additional funds would also be used to purchase first aid kits for "Back to School" fairs.
South Carolina
South Carolina EMSC Program Manager Elizabeth Walker-Sheppard plans to utilize supplemental funds to purchase three fully-stocked Broselow® pediatric carts. One cart will be given to each Level III trauma center and/or rural hospital that illustrate an essential need for such pediatric equipment. Additionally, three fully-stocked Broselow® bags will be purchased and given to EMS agencies that have shown a need for the equipment. The remaining funds will be used to purchase additional equipment for EMS agencies, such as pulse oximeters and immobilization devices.
Oregon EMSC Partners in New Safety Study; Grantee Participation Request Forthcoming (08/15/11)
This month, Oregon EMSC and the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) are launching phase 1 of a National Institutes of Health-funded research study on the safety and quality of prehospital EMS care for children. The study aims to identify reliable and valid measures for safety events in the prehospital care of children; understand the incidence and contributors to pediatric safety events in the prehospital setting; understand individual, team, and systems factors that lead to safety events during simulation of children's emergencies; and establish a national system for the reporting of safety events.
During phase 1, EMS experts – including EMS directors, EMSC program managers, and on-the-ground EMS personnel – will be asked to complete a national Delphi survey. Survey results will be used to develop reliable and valid measures for measuring the incidence and contributors to safety events. Additional web-based questionnaires will be launched at a later date.
Information on how to participate in the study will be made available soon to EMSC program managers. Grantees are encouraged to forward study information to their respective state EMS providers.
National Aggregated Data from 2010-2011 Posted to NEDARC's Website (08/11/11)
The National EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center (NEDARC) has posted to its website the national aggregated data from the last data collection period (2010-2011). This includes the data for medical direction, equipment, and interfacility transfer guidelines and agreements, all of which should be helpful to SP grantees as they prepare to disseminate their statewide data.
NEDARC is developing several templates that can be used to disseminate the data to respondents, advisory board committees, etc. An editable PDF that grantees can send to survey respondents will also be released. NEDARC will notify grantees when the resources are available.
Again, thanks to all State Partnership grantees for their hard work in surveying and collecting data!
AAP Releases Policy Statement: Consent for Emergency Medical Services for Children and Adolescents (08/05/11)
Last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released the policy statement Consent for Emergency Medical Services for Children and Adolescents. The purpose of the statement is to provide guidance in those situations in which parental consent is not readily available, in which parental consent is not necessary, or in which parental refusal of consent places a child at risk of significant harm.
State Partnership Grantees Utilize Supplemental Funds to Expand Training Opportunities (08/05/11)
Recently, EMSC State Partnership grantees were given the opportunity to apply for $13,000 in supplemental funds to be utilized within their current EMSC scope of work. We've been hearing about some great ideas and hope to share some of them over the coming weeks. For example:
New York State Partnership Grantee Martha Gohlke plans to use the funds to develop and offer an on-line continue medical education (CME) program with "CentreLearn" to provide training on securing children in an ambulance during transport. The objectives of this course are to ensure that EMS personnel will be able to: describe how to protect the head, neck, and spine of all children transported from emergency scene to hospital and summarize the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Recommendations, both "Ideal" and "Practical or Achievable" for each course scenario. Specifically class participants will be able to: (1) define the relationship between NHTSA and child restraint manufacturers and vehicle manufacturers, (2) list the appropriate type(s) of seats (rear facing restraint, forward facing restraints, booster seats, and seat belts); (3) identify harnessing errors; (4) describe how to improve the safety of children restrained on the ambulance stretcher; (5) summarize the NHTSA and child restraint manufacturer policy regarding use of car seat after a crash; (6) identify the best and worst place(s) to restrain a child in an ambulance and why; and (7) state considerations when restraining children with special needs.
Wyoming EMSC is applying for the supplemental funds to purchase a Megacode Kid with Vita Sim and an advance life support infant mannikin. The state has limited older model CPR infants, but nothing for more advanced learning. Ambulance service training programs statewide can assess the new Megacode mannikin through the EMS office. The Disaster Preparedness program will be encouraged to use the mannikin to incorporate pediatric scenarious into disaster drills conducted statewide.
Minnesota EMSC proposes to use the supplemental funds for travel expenses and printing services. The EMSC Resource Center of Minnesota (EMSCRC) applied for a Minnesota Department of Health Rural Hospital Flex Grant to develop and host pediatric trauma simulation training throughout the state. Although the grant was awarded, it was for a reduced amount. The supplemental funds from HRSA will be used to cover travel-related expenses not currently covered by the Flex Grant. This funding will allow EMSCRC to host five pediatric trauma simulations trainings in five different cities across Greater Minnesota.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) would love to hear how states chose to utilize the supplemental funding. Send your story to your HRSA project officer so it can be shared it QuickNews next week! Thanks everyone and kudos on your creativity!
Alabama offers courses on cultural competency and special needs through grants from ASPR and the EMSC Program. Through a combination of grants from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the $13,000 in supplemental funding received from the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) EMSC Program, Alabama EMSC is now able to provide a course on special populations and cultural competency in each of its six regions. A primary goal of the course will be to teach EMS providers the 10-15 most frequently used phrases needed when treating Spanish-speaking pediatric patients.
Pediatric Textbook Devotes Chapter to EMSC (07/28/11)
The 19th edition of the Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics was recently published dedicating chapter 61 entirely to emergency medical services for children. This chapter addresses the following topics: Interfacility Transport of the Seriously Ill or Injured Pediatric Patient (written by Elizabeth Edgerton, MD, of the Health Resources and Services Administration's EMSC Program and Bruce Klein, MD, of Children's National Medical Center); Outcome and Risk Adjustment (written by EMSC Targeted Issue Grantee Evaline Alessandrini, MD, of Cincinnati Children's Hospital); and Principals and Application to the Developing World (written by Jennifer Chapman, MD, of Children's National Medical Center, and David Walker, MD, of Yale School of Medicine). Chapter editors include Joseph Wright, MD, MPH, of the EMSC National Resource Center and EMSC Grantee Steven Krug, MD, of Children's Memorial Hospital.
Strategic Partnership Between EMSC and GFWC Grows; Pennsylvania Partnership Distributes Pulse-Oximetry Units (07/22/11)
In 2011, in an effort to assist state/territory efforts to acquire missing pediatric equipment for their local EMS agencies, the EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) and the Greater Federation of Women's Club (GFWC) developed a national strategic partnership to encourage partnerships between the two entities. The idea originated when Wisconsin EMSC established the first partnership between the two groups in 2002. Now another partnership has just been announced.
Last week, the Pennsylvania EMSC program announced its partnership with the Commonwealth's GFWC chapter, launching a campaign for distributing pediatric capable pulse-oximetry units to local EMS agencies. On July 13, the GFWC Chapter in Spring Grove, PA, kicked off the campaign by presenting the devices to the Spring Grove Ambulance Club and the Thomasville Fire Co. and Ambulance. The Pennsylvania EMSC program was able to secure discounted pricing for these units. Other GFWC chapters within the state are currently raising funds to secure additional pulse-oximetry units for their local ambulance services.
As you may recall, in 2002 the Wisconsin EMSC Advisory Board partnered with the local GFWC Junior club to fund and place pediatric "Jump Kit" bags on every ambulance in Waukesha County, WI. Today, the partnership has raised more than $300,000, and approximately 65% of the states EMS agencies have access to the bags. Similar partnerships have been developed in Florida and North Carolina.
All EMSC grantees are encouraged to reach out to their state's GFWC chapter. The EMSC-GFWC strategic partnership was developed to encourage and market the Wisconsin model to other states and territories in an effort to produce similar outcomes.
Maryland Distributes New Pediatric Reference Card and Posters (07/22/11)
The Maryland EMSC program has released the Maryland Pediatric Reference Card and Poster. Developed by a team of EMS providers, clinicians, and educators from throughout the state, the pediatric reference card and poster provide all the information responders would need to provide emergency care to a pediatric patient. The information includes: pediatric assessment, normal vital signs, average equipment size, definition of hypotension by age and systolic blood pressure, pain rating, rules of nines, and the Glasgow coma scale. Please visit the Maryland EMSC website for more information and to request copies.
NEDARC Debuts on Social Media (07/15/11)
The National EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center (NEDARC) has joined social media. You can now follow NEDARC on Twitter and friend NEDARC on Facebook.
Federal EMSC Program Redistributes State and Territorial Assignments (07/07/11)
Beginning July 18, 2011, the federal EMSC Program will be redistributing the state and territorial assignments amongst the four EMSC project officers: Jocelyn Hulbert, Theresa Morrison-Quinata, Yolanda Baker, and Tina Turgel. See the new assignments, the contact information for each project officer, as well as the eight EMSC Regions.
HRSA Awards Funding for EMSC Technical Assistance Resource Centers (07/07/11)
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded competing continuation of the EMSC National Resource Center cooperative agreement to incumbent grantee Children's National Medical Center (Children's National). Children's National would like to take this opportunity to announce the following re-organization of the EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) senior management team effective July 10:
Joseph Wright, MD, MPH, senior vice president of the Child Health Advocacy Institute at Children's National, assumes supervisory oversight of the EMSC-NRC as principal investigator and medical director;
Ian Weston, MPP, EMT, assumes expanded scope of day-to-day management responsibilities as director of administration, finance and operations; and
Jaclynn Haymon, MPA, RN, is promoted to director of communications and planning.
The NRC looks forward to a productive year working with all of the EMSC grantees and the greater pediatric emergency care community. Thank you for your support.
The University of Utah Department of Pediatrics was recently awarded the cooperative agreement for the National EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center (NEDARC). The University has operated the NEDARC project since its inception in 1995, and looks forward to continuing the provision of assistance to EMSC projects and EMS offices throughout the country. Lenora Olson, PhD, will be assuming the role of principal investigator for NEDARC. A complete list of NEDARC services as well as contact information for individual states and territories can be found at http://www.nedarc.org.
Louisiana EMSC Rolls Out New Hospital Recognition Program (06/30/11)
In collaboration with the Louisiana Governor's Advisory Council, the Louisiana EMSC program has rolled out its new hospital recognition program. The program includes two levels of designation: Gold Bear status and Silver Bear status. More information on the levels of designation can be found in the attached document. Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center, located in Baton Rouge, LA, was the first hospital to be awarded the Louisiana EMSC Hospital Recognition Award – Gold Status.
iAdvocate Podcast Series Complete; Now Available on YouTube (06/24/11)
The EMSC National Resource Center has completed its iAdvocate podcast series. The six-part series provides grantees and family representatives with necessary tools and tips to affect policy change at the federal, state, and local levels. All podcasts are available through the NRC's YouTube Channel.
PA EMSC Advisory Board Member Receives Mildred K. Fincke Nursing Award (06/24/11)
Kirsten Johnson-Moore, RN, MSN, co-chair for Pennsylvania's EMSC Advisory Board and the director of Emergency Nursing Services and Respiratory Care at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, PA, was recently presented the Mildred K. Fincke Nursing Award by the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council (PEHSC). This award honors a professional nurse, or group of nurses, who have contributed significantly to the provision of emergency health services in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Statement on EMSC by Senator Daniel Inouye (06/17/11)
Earlier this week, Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) made a statement, which appeared in the June 14 Senate Congressional Record, highlighting the importance of the EMSC Program. Senator Inouye highlighted the extraordinary work the EMSC Program has accomplished throughout the nation for more than 25 years. He also remarked that while the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), as a lead agency could "improve optimal emergency care and response, any reorganization of federal EMS programs must maintain EMSC as a freestanding program. Without the EMSC Program, children's medical and treatment needs will not be met."
Senator Inouye recognized the fruitful efforts of many of those involved in EMSC, specifically those who spoke at an educational briefing on EMSC Day. At the briefing, Katherine Dixon Hert, EMSC program manager, Office of EMS and Trauma at the Alabama Department of Public Health, recounted the devastation of the recent tornadoes that swept through her state; the challenges in caring for children often separated from their parents; and the pediatric deaths that occurred. In addition, Joseph Wright, MD, MPH, principal investigator and medical director for the EMSC National Resource Center, also shared his experience of ''growing up'' with the EMSC Program as part of the original cohort of board-certified pediatric emergency physicians in the United States.
Puerto Rico EMSC Celebrates 15th Anniversary at Annual EMSC Symposium (06/17/11)
The Puerto Rico EMSC program celebrated its 15th anniversary at the Annual EMSC Symposium last month. The symposium featured many pediatric-related sessions, including trauma, safety patient transfer, and the importance of the golden hour in the pediatric patient. This year, more than 1,000 pre-hospital and hospital personnel participated, including nurses, respiratory therapists, emergency medical technicians, doctors, residents, and medicine students, among others.
PECARN Investigators Receive NIH Award to Develop Future Emergency Medicine Researchers (06/14/11)
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will fund six Institutional Training Awards in Emergency Medicine (EM) Clinical Research beginning July 1, 2011 to support the establishment of multidisciplinary research training centers. The goal is to develop a cadre of emergency medicine clinician investigators capable of pioneering new and innovative research to improve the clinical care of patients with life-threatening cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic and traumatic disorders that are frequently seen in the emergency department.
Drs. Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MPH and James Holmes Jr., MD, MPH, of the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network and Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, The Regents of the University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA will direct the program "Developing the Next Generation of Emergency Medicine Researchers (D.A.N.G.E.R)." To read more on this award, please see the full NHLBI press release.
Listed below are all six award winners:
Developing the Next Generation of Emergency Medicine Researchers (D.A.N.G.E.R): Co-Program Directors: Nathan Kuppermann, MD, MPH and James Holmes Jr., MD, MPH, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, The Regents of the University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA.
Enabling Medical Research Growth in Emergency Medicine: Co-Program Directors: Lance B. Becker, MD and Brian Leslie Strom, MD, PhD, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Mount Sinai Emergency Medicine Research Career Development Program: Program Director: Lynne D. Richardson, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY.
Oregon Multidisciplinary Training Program for Emergency Medicine Clinical Research: Program Director: Robert A. Lowe, MD, and Cynthia D. Morris, PhD, MPH, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.
Pittsburgh Career Development Program in Emergency Medicine Research: Co-Program Directors: Donald M. Yealy and Clifton W. Callaway, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Vanderbilt Emergency Medicine Research Training Program, (V.E.M.R.T): Co-Program Directors: Alan B. Storrow, MD, PhD and Douglas Sawyer, MD, PhD, Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
Florida EMSC Program Develops New DVD: Prehospital Pediatric Pitfalls (06/14/11)
The Florida EMSC program, in conjunction with Peds-R-Us and the Florida Department of Health has developed a DVD, Prehospital Pediatric Pitfalls: Newborn to Adolescent Emergency Care. This DVD provides EMS personnel with enhanced knowledge of the prehospital care necessary for newborns and pediatric emergency patients. This product is available in very limited supply. For more information about obtaining a copy, contact Melissa Keahey, Florida EMSC program manager.
EMSC TI Grantee Publishes Study in Academic Emergency Medicine (06/3/11)
Evaline Alessandrini, MD, and her EMSC Targeted Issues project "Defining Quality Performance Measures for Pediatric Emergency Care" is featured in the May issue of Academic Emergency Medicine. Dr. Allessandrini and her team undertook this study with the goals of enumerating and categorizing existing performance measures relevant to pediatric emergency care. Potential performance measures were identified through a survey of 1) the peer-reviewed literature, 2) websites of organizations and societies pertaining to quality improvement, and 3) emergency department (ED) directors. Results indicated performance measures were found for potential use for pediatric emergency care. When categorized by IOM domain, nearly half of the measures were related to effectiveness, while only 6% of measures addressed patient-centeredness. Measures relevant to pediatric emergency care are available, but these measures lack a systematic and comprehensive approach to evaluate the quality of care provided.
Read more about Dr. Alessandrini's project by accessing the latest EMSC toolbox on the EMSC National Resource Center website. The toolbox is best viewed using Internet Explorer 9 or Mozilla Firefox.
Arkansas TI Grantee Releases New ATV Safety Toolkit (06/6/11)
Mary Aitken, MD, MPH, of the Injury Prevention Center at Arkansas Children's Hospital and principal investigator for Arkansas EMSC Targeted Issues (TI) grant has recently released an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety Tool Kit. This Tool Kit contains valuable safety information that when utilized, can save children's lives and stop preventable injuries from harming ATV riders.
The materials are presented in a variety of formats for the facilitator to utilize as he or she pleases. These formats include: an engaging 20-minute video about the risk of ATV use, a discussion guide, posters to reinforce safety message, an ATV safety brochure, and a DVD of all printed materials, including a PowerPoint presentation. All materials can be customize to include your organization's logo. To obtain a copy of the toolkit, send an email to email@example.com.
Indiana EMSC Welcomes New Program Manger! (06/6/11)
The Indiana EMSC program would like to introduce Stephanie Fahner, RN, BSN, as the new EMSC program manager. Stephanie is a pediatric nurse who has had experience in pediatric burn nursing, pediatric trauma, pediatric intensive care unit, and pediatric infectious diseases. She recently worked with the Pediatric Infectious Disease physician group at Riley Hospital for Children. Welcome to the EMSC family Stephanie!
EMSC Videos Now Available on iTunes (05/31/11)
Now anyone can download and subscribe to EMSC podcasts on the go. The EMSC National Resource Center has created an iTunes account to expand its educational outreach to the general public. Each EMSC podcast can be viewed one at a time or subscribe to an entire series and have new items download to any Mac, PC, iPod, or iPhone automatically as soon as they become available. Check it out today!
President Obama Issues EMS Week Proclamation; Highlights Work of EMSC Program (05/19/11)
President Barack Obama released a proclamation for EMS Week. "Each day, Americans rely on emergency medical service (EMS) systems to help them in their hour of greatest need. In communities across our nation, we take comfort in knowing that well trained, caring men and women are only a phone call away from treating injuries sustained in a car crash, responding to a cardiac emergency, or helping a child with asthma breathe easier." The President also recognized the importance of ensuring our nation's children have full access to high quality EMS care and references the EMSC Program and its initiative to work with public and private sector partners across the United States to make certain that all children receive appropriate EMS care.
HRSA Launches Emergency Medical Services Website (05/18/11)
Just in time for EMS Week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) unveiled a new EMS website this week. The website lists HRSA EMS resources, initiatives, publications, and programs, including the EMSC Program. Please visit the site at http://www.hrsa.gov/ems.
Texas EMSC Awards 2011 EMSC Crew of the Year to Houston Fire Department (05/18/11)
The Texas EMSC program is proud to present the 2011 EMSC Crew of the Year Award to the Houston Fire Department. Empowered with the right equipment, the right training, and the right protocols, this team's dedication and commitment to high quality pediatric emergency care manifested in the quick and decisive action that saved the life of a child. To learn more about the Houston Fire Department's successful endeavors, checkout the latest edition of TX EMSC's Pony Express.
NC EMSC Completes First Statewide Report on Pediatric Continuing Education (05/17/11)
The North Carolina EMSC program has completed its first statewide report on pediatric continuing education. The program surveyed all 100 EMS systems and found that 77 of the systems that responded to the survey required some pediatric continuing education each year, with most requiring three to four hours or more. Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) is the most commonly required pediatric training course, followed by Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals (PEPP). The full report can be found online at the NC EMSC website.
NRC Begins Production of Second Series of Podcasts (05/16/11)
In April 2011, the EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) began production of its second series of podcasts called iAdvocate. These video podcasts will focus on the public policy process and will equip individuals with information and strategies to effect legislative change at the federal, state, and local levels. While many of the examples used in this series refer to the federal policymaking process, most of the tools and tips are also applicable at the state and local levels. The first iAdvocate podcast is available on the NRC website and on its YouTube channel.
Recall that the first series of podcasts, called iPEMS, were created in collaboration with the Alliance for Pediatric Emergency Medication Safety. The podcasts target medical students, residents, and fellowship trainees and focus on three primary objectives: (1) to educate trainees about pediatric medication safety issues in the emergency setting; (2) to describe potential solutions to improve medication safety; and (3) to equip trainees with the tools to implement a quality improvement initiative in their training program.
Idaho EMSC Seeks Full-time Program Manager (05/16/11)
The Idaho EMS Bureau is seeking qualified candidates for a full-time EMSC program specialist in Boise. Additional information and an application can be found on the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare website. The recruitment closes May 19, 2011. For questions, please contact John Cramer at (208) 334-5268 or (877) 554-3367.
AAP Briefing to be Held in Conjunction with EMSC Day (05/13/11)
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will be hosting a briefing in conjunction with Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day on Wednesday, May 18 at 2:00 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Visitors Center in Washington, DC. During the briefing, experts will discuss the role of the EMSC program in caring for children during emergencies and disasters, including the most recent events in Alabama, and discuss the need for ongoing support of this vital program. Guest speakers include Elizabeth Edgerton, MD, MPH, branch chief for EMSC and Injury Prevention at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau; Katherine Dixon Hert, Alabama EMSC program manager; and Joseph Wright, MD, MPH, principal investigator and medical director of the EMSC National Resource Center.
New FAN Video Debuts at State Partnership Meeting (05/13/11)
On Monday, May 2, during a special luncheon at the 2011 State Partnership Program Managers Meeting, grantees received a first hand look at the EMSC National Resource Center's (NRC) newest video "EMSC Family Advisory Network: Helping to Improve Pediatric Emergency Care." This 14-minute video captures the compelling stories of nine Family Advisory Network (FAN) representatives and highlights the work they are doing to improve pediatric emergency care at the local and state levels.
As many FAN members may call, more than eight hours of interviews were filmed during last year's Annual EMSC Program Meeting in Bethesda, MD. All FAN members who volunteered to be interviewed are included in the final video.
Each State Partnership program manager received a DVD copy of the video to share with his or her FAN representative. FAN representatives are free to duplicate the video. The video is also available on the NRC website and on its YouTube channel.
State Partnership Grantees Get First Hand Look at EMSC's Online Community (05/13/11)
At a session during this year's State Partnership Program Managers Meeting, grantees received a first hand look at the Program's newest social media application, the EMSC Online Community. The community serves as an interactive online portal providing grantees powerful ways to interact with each other in real time, electronically.
Through the use of community wikis, blogs, and forums, State Partnership grantees can ask questions, provide feedback about an issue of interest, seek assistance with achieving a performance measures, and/or offer support and guidance to other members within the group. The community also allows members to upload and share documents and photos, and post events to a community calendar. State Partnership grantees are encouraged to access the community today to view the latest pictures from last week's meeting or to upload their own meeting photo.
EMSC Members Appointed to the NQF Regionalized Emergency Medical Care Services Steering Committee (04/29/11)
The National Quality Forum (NQF) has recently appointed two EMSC members -- Robin Shively, Michigan EMSC program director, and Joseph Wright, MD, MPH, EMSC National Resource Center principal investigator and medical director -- to its Regionalized Emergency Medical Care Services (REMCS) project Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will provide guidance on the NQF project that seeks to identify approaches for systematically regionalizing emergency care services at the national, state, and regional levels. The framework report will assess current regionalized emergency medical care services' measures and guide future measure development while identifying measure gaps. The National Quality Forum is a unique public-private collaborative committed to improving healthcare quality and standardizing measurement and reporting of quality-related information.
NRC Releases New Toolbox on Hospital-based Performance Measures (04/21/11)
The EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) has posted to the web its newest toolbox on Hospital-based Performance Measures. The toolbox features the work of Evaline Alessandrini, MD, and her EMSC Targeted Issues project "Defining Quality Performance Measures for Pediatric Emergency Care." Dr. Alessandrini's project seeks to improve pediatric emergency care through the consensus identification of pediatric emergency care performance measures and associated elements of documentation. Please note that the toolbox is best viewed in the Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer 9 web browser.
Get Ready to Celebrate EMSC Day on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 (04/21/11)
This year, EMSC Day will be held on Wednesday, May 18, 2011, in conjunction with EMS Week (May 15-21). To help promote National EMSC Day, the EMSC National Resource Center has created a variety of resources targeting key audiences to help grantees, family representatives, and child advocates prepare for the daylong celebration. Promotional resources include:
Save-the-Date postcard;
Feel free to use these resources as a guide in preparation for local EMSC Day 2011 festivities! Please share with us how you celebrated EMSC Day in your state. EMSC QuickNews will feature local celebration stories over the next few weeks.
West Virginia EMSC Program Distributes 1,000 Pedi-Mate Child Restraints (04/14/11)
The West Virginia EMSC program has secured $230,000 through a federal Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to purchase and distribute 1,000 Pedi-Mate child restraint systems to every licensed EMS agency in the state.
According to Vicki Hildreth, West Virginia EMSC program manger, "Pedi-Mate is an innovative restraint system designed for transporting children in ambulances." More than 200 licensed EMS providers operating more than 900 patient-transport units throughout West Virginia's seven EMS regions have benefited from the project. The Pedi-Mates were distributed at regional rollout meetings across the state, where a check-off sheet listing each licensed agency and its transport units was used to distribute the Pedi-Mates. "My goal is that all of our EMS and all of our hospitals are always ready for kids," Vicki said.
For more information about the project, read the Spring 2011 edition of the Ferno eNewsletter.
EMSC Wins "Best Specialty Article" at 2011 STN Annual Conference (04/07/11)
At the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) Annual Conference, the EMSC National Resource Centers' Trauma/Acute Care Specialist Diana Fendya, MSN (R), RN; EMSC STN Stakeholder Sally Snow, BSN, RN; and EMSC Program Public Health Analyst Tasmeen Weik, DrPH, were awarded "Best Specialty Article" for, "Using System Change as a Method of Performance/Quality Improvement for Emergency and Trauma Care of Severely Injured Children: Pediatric System Performance Improvement." The article was published in the 2010 January-March issue of Journal of Trauma Nursing. Data collected from the EMSC State Partnership performance measures was used to identify both gaps and opportunities for trauma nurses and managers to partner with state leaders to improve the emergency and trauma care systems for children.
Spring/Summer 2011 Edition of FAN Mail Released (04/07/11)
The EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) is pleased to announce the release of its Spring/Summer 2011 edition of FAN Mail, a newsletter devoted to EMSC's Family Advisory Network (FAN) members. The current edition includes: information about the long-awaited FAN video, "EMSC Family Advisory Network: Helping to Improve Pediatric Emergency Care;" a warm welcome to the EMSC's newest FAN representatives; information on the NRC's newest online social media presence along with a new technology feature that helps FAN members collaborate and share knowledge in the virtual community; an orientation to FAN members' role in the public policy process; information on preparing your family and your community for a disaster; and an update on Program activities and more! Download your copy today!
Arizona EMSC Welcomes New FAN Member (04/5/11)
Elizabeth Bryant is the newest Family Advisory Network (FAN) member to join the Arizona EMSC program. Elizabeth is the mother of three children: Alyssa, age 11; Robby, age 9; and Addisyn, age 2. Elizabeth's youngest daughter, Addisyn, was born at 28 weeks and spent three months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Addisyn was diagnosed with tracheomalacia and had a tracheotomy tube until she was 18 months old. Her prematurity has also caused her to have chronic lung disease.
Elizabeth's passion for involvement in EMSC began shortly after Addisyn was born. Elizabeth's mother, an employee with the Arizona Department of Health, was asked if there were any family members that might be interested in filling the family advocacy position. She immediately thought of her daughter because of her experiences with Addisyn through the hospital system.
West Virginia EMSC Revitalizes Always Ready for Kids (ARK) Project (04/01/11)
The West Virginia EMSC program, in collaboration with the state's Office of EMS, has revised and redesigned its Always Ready for Kids (ARK), a facility recognition project that seeks to create a "sustainable method to ensure children who need treatment for life threatening illness or injuries have access to the appropriate facilities, equipment, and personnel." For more information on this project, read p. 57 of the March/April 2011 edition of the West Virginia Medical Journal.
NRC Pilots Newest Technology, the EMSC Online Community (03/24/11)
The EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) is working with the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) to pilot its newest social media application, the EMSC Online Community. The community serves as an interactive online portal providing grantees powerful ways to interact with each other in real time, electronically.
Beginning this week, PECARN research coordinators are using the community to publish, access, and share information about successes and challenges with recruiting and retaining patients for PECARN's Fluid Therapy and Cerebral Injury in Pediatric Diabetic Ketoacidosis study. Through the use of community wikis, blogs, and forums, research coordinators can ask questions, post observations, discuss recruitment issues, and offer support and guidance to other members within the group. The community also allows members to upload and share documents and photos, and post events to a community calendar.
Sound interesting? Other EMSC Program grantees will soon get their opportunity to be a part of this new technology. The State Partnership Online Community will be released in May during a session at the State Partnership Program Managers Meeting in Annapolis, MD. By late summer, the NRC plans to introduce a third community for members of the Family Advisory Network.
South Carolina EMSC Partnerships Result in Two Successful Pediatric Events (03/22/11)
Last month South Carolina EMSC collaborated with the Medical University of South Carolina to host South Carolina's First Annual Pediatric Trauma and Injury Prevention Symposium on February 28. More than 165 participants attended the conference from all branches of health care field.
South Carolina also partnered with the Simulation Training Center at Palmetto Health-University of South Carolina's (USC) School of Medicine to host innovative pediatric training. By using the simulation center, students were able to test their knowledge and skills with scenarios which depicted real life. Interest in the pediatric training was high as reflected by a full registration.
Indiana Seeks New EMSC Project Director (03/21/11)
The Indiana EMSC program has recently posted the position for a new EMSC project director. Potential applicants should have knowledge of prehospital EMS assessment and treatment, scope of practice and education of providers, and Indiana-specific EMS regulations. Pediatric knowledge is recommended. The candidate will serve as a liaison to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the Indiana State Department of Health, the EMSC National Resource Center, and the National EMSC Data Analysis and Resource Center. For more information, please visit the Indiana University careers website.
NRC's Executive Director Presents at 2011 PEM Fellows' Conference (03/14/11)
Last week, EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) Acting Executive Director Joe Wright, MD, MPH, presented "An EMSC Update: What you Really Need to Know" at the 2011 Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellows' (PEM) Conference in Dallas, TX. Dr. Wright's presentation focused on the EMS system and the functioning of EMSC within the EMS system. The importance of regionalization, categorization, and readiness were also addressed. This is the 18th PEM Fellows' conference. Drs. David Jaffe and Jane Knapp have been co-chairing this conference since 2003.
A Review of the New MCHB Performance Measures (03/10/11)
On February 28, 2011, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), EMSC Program held a webinar to explain in detail each of the MCHB Discretionary Grant Information System (DGIS) performance measures (7, 10, 24, 33, and 41) and the reporting requirements grantees would need to enter into the HRSA Electronic Handbook (EHB). This webinar is now available online. Grantees who were unable to attend the live-webinar, should review the archived presentation prior to working on their report.
In addition, detailed sheets that further describe and define each of these additional performance measures assigned to the EMSC State Partnership Program are available. State Partnership grantees are required to report on each of these measures within 120 days of the release of their Notice of Grant Award (NGA); additional instructions related to this reporting requirement may be found on page 3 of your NGA.
Kentucky EMSC Seeks Project Director(03/09/11)
The Kentucky Board of EMS is currently seeking an EMSC project director. Please visit the Kentucky Community and Technical College System website for information or download the position's job description. For questions, contact firstname.lastname@example.com. Applications are due no later than March 17, 2011.
Registration Now Open for State Partnership Program Managers Meeting (03/08/11)
The EMSC Program is now accepting online registration for the State Partnership Program Managers Meeting to be held May 2-4, 2011, at the Westin Annapolis in Annapolis, MD.
The EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) is working with the federal EMSC Program to arrange hotel accommodations for each attendee. Registrants should not make their own hotel arrangements. All rooms will be reserved on the attendee's behalf by the NRC. More information about the hotel, local attractions, and ground transportation services is available on the registration site. An agenda is also available. Look for the tabs in the brown horizontal bar.
Please note that during check-in at the Westin Annapolis, attendees will be asked to present a credit card to cover the cost of the room per night and any incidental room charges. The room rate at the Westin Annapolis is $114.00 per room, per night, plus state and local taxes, currently at 13%.
Immediately following the State Partnership Program Managers Meeting, the National Association of State EMS Officials (NASEMSO) Mid-year Meeting will be held at the Loews Annapolis Hotel from May 4-6, 2011. The Loews Annapolis Hotel is within walking distance from the Westin; approximately three blocks away. If grantees plan to attend both meetings, they may choose to extend their stay at the Westin or they can switch hotels. The Westin's special room rate of $114.00 will only apply two days post the State Partnership meeting on a space available basis. More information about the NASEMSO meeting is available on the NASEMSO website. All EMSC grantees are invited to attend the meeting. Pre-registration is required.
March 16: EMSC Program to Host Special Town Hall Call at FICEMS Request (03/07/11)
The federal EMSC Program will hold a special Town Hall Conference Call at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Wednesday, March 16, to discuss a special request from the Federal Interagency Committee on EMS (FICEMS).
FICEMS was created to help ensure coordination among federal agencies involved with state, local, tribal, or regional EMS and 9-1-1 systems. As discussed at their December 16, 2010 meeting, FICEMS is assessing the current and future role of the federal government in EMS and evaluating the options for establishing or designating a federal lead office or agency for EMS. The National Security Staff Resilience Directorate has requested that FICEMS engage with stakeholders and develop an options paper by May 15, 2011.
The special town hall call is your opportunity to provide input regarding the role of the federal government in the full continuum of EMS and emergency and trauma care for adults and children, including medical 9-1-1 and emergency medical dispatch, prehospital emergency medical services (both ground and air), hospital-based emergency care and trauma care, and medical-related disaster preparedness.
To participate in the call, dial 1-877-355-6338 and enter Meeting ID 9911. Individuals who are unable to attend or unable to present comments during the forum, may submit written comments and suggestions via email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
EMSC Resource Centers Team Up with PA FAN Member to Present at AMCHP Family Voices Conference (03/03/11)
EMSC National Resource Center (NRC) Director Ian Weston, National EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center (NEDARC) Director Mike Ely, and Pennsylvania Family Advisory Network (FAN) Member Monica Liebman presented at the Annual Conference of the Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP), which took place February 12-15, in Washington, DC. Their session "Strengthening Communities, Children, Youth, and Families with Collaborative Initiatives" examined the utilization of Maternal and Child Health Bureau-funded resource centers to support federal and state goals and performance measures.
Both Ian and Mike provided a brief overview on how their centers support and enhance the work of states programs and how they encourage and cultivate collaborations with parents and families. Monica provided a brief overview of the history of FAN; its purpose, successes, and ongoing involvement in the activities of EMSC.
EMSC PIER Region to Host Second Regional Meeting in April (02/24/11)
EMSC program managers and partners from the islands of American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, which collectively make up the Pacific Islands EMSC Region (PIER), are meeting in Hawaii April 18-22, to finalize the development of a white paper addressing the multiplex of issues affecting inter-facility/inter-island transfer of patients needing specialty resources.
The group has met regularly over the last year to improve the transfer of pediatric patients in need of specialized medical treatment from the territories to specialty medical centers in Hawaii and the continental United States. Since these islands are geographically isolated from one another as well as from the Continental U.S., medical resources on these islands are often limited. The critically ill and injured or those requiring specialty care often need to be transferred to access needed services. This is especially true for critically ill and injured children and thus serves as a major challenge impacting positive patient health outcomes of all Pacific Island residents.
For more information, please contact Dwayne Lopes.
Kentucky EMSC Holds Special Meeting to Discuss MCHB Performance Measures (02/23/11)
State Partnership grantees have recently learned that they will be participating in a new Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) performance measure survey designed to assess the populations served by grants and the mechanisms in which these efforts are being accomplished. On February 10-11, 2011, EMSC Program representatives attended a special meeting of the Kentucky EMSC Program to review the new MCHB Discretionary Grant performance measures (7, 10, 24, 33, and 41). Meeting Organizer Mary Fallat, MD, invited key stakeholders in the state to review the performance measures and to evaluate whether current state activities incorporated elements of each measure. To their surprise, they learned that in some instances the state is already incorporating key elements of these measures into their current EMSC activities.
Specific examples of activities that states can undertake to meet the new MCHB performance measures will be discussed in greater detail during the February 28 webinar A Review of the New MCHB Performance Measures.
HRSA/EMSC Network Development Demonstration Project Minutes and FAQs Now Available (02/17/11)
The conference call minutes and frequently asked questions (FAQ's) from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) EMSC Network Development Demonstration Competition Technical Assistance Call (which occurred January 24, 2011) are now available online. In addition to viewing the conference call minutes and FAQ's, you may also view all open HRSA funding opportunities by visiting the HRSA grants website.
Dr. Elizabeth Edgerton Named Branch Chief for EMSC and Injury Prevention (02/14/11)
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has announced that, effective 2-14-11, Elizabeth Edgerton, MD, MPH, will be the new Branch Chief for EMSC and Injury Prevention within the Division of Child, Adolescent and Family Health, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). As an accomplished academician and program administrator, Dr. Edgerton has worked in the fields of EMSC and injury prevention throughout her career.
Dr. Edgerton is a previous EMSC Targeted Issues grantee and a recipient of the 2004 National Heroes Award for Outstanding EMSC Research Project. She has served on numerous national advisory panels, including MCHB's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children and the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control SAFE USA Partnership Council. Dr. Edgerton is a past Director of Clinical Prevention for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and most recently served as an attending physician in the Emergency Medicine and Trauma Center at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Dr. Edgerton received her medical degree from Wayne State University Medical School in Detroit and completed a pediatric residency at Harbor -UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, CA. She then completed a Masters in Public Health and a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Fellowship at the University of California at Los Angeles under the mentorship of EMSC forefather, the late Dr. James Seidel.
Please join HRSA/MCHB and the staffs of the EMSC National Resource Center and the National EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center in welcoming Beth to her new leadership role.
EMSC to Host Four Webcasts; Register Today (02/03/11)
February 28: One Day, Two Important Webcasts. The EMSC Program has just announced that it will host the webinar "A Review of the New MCHB Performance Measures" at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern) on Monday, February 28, 2011. Presenters Jocelyn Hulbert, public health analyst for the federal EMSC Program, and Mary Hoel, senior product analyst for the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), will explain the background inception of the MCHB Performance Measures, what grantees should expect to see when they access the Health Resources and Service Administration's Electronic Handbooks, and review the elements of each MCHB performance measure. A review of the performance measure elements will help grantees to better understand what are the reporting expectations of MCHB and how instituting these measures may impact future activities planned by EMSC grantees.
Recall that earlier that day from 10:30 a.m. to noon (Eastern), the EMSC Program and the Federal Interagency Committee for EMS (FICEMS) will host the webcast "Exception From Informed Consent: Lessons from a Consensus Conference" to introduce participants to the current issues in conducting clinical trials using the Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) regulations. The results of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-sponsored consensus conference on addressing the barriers to conducting EFIC trails will be presented along with a perspective from the Food and Drug Administration.
March 25: Exception From Informed Consent in Pediatric Trials. The EMSC Program and the Federal Interagency Committee for EMS (FICEMS) will host this webcast from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. (Eastern) on Friday, March 25, 2001, to introduce participants to the current issues in conducting pediatric clinical trials using the Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) regulations. The experience from the first pediatric EFIC trial will be presented along with perspectives from the IRB on how pediatric EFIC trails are reviewed and monitored.
April 8: Working Beyond Borders and In Partnership to Create a Pediatric Recognition System. The EMSC Program will host this webcast from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Eastern) on Friday, April 8, 2011. Join California's Marianne Gaushe-Hill, MD, and Georgia's Jill Mabley, MD, and Tracie Al'Belar as they discuss how a partnership between their states helped Georgia in its efforts to develop a pediatric recognition system.
Please register in advance for all four webinars.
EMSC and AHRQ to Host HCUP Workshop Training; Register Today (01/31/11)
The EMSC Program, in partnership with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is hosting a Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) training workshop on May 16, 2011, from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the AHRQ Building in Rockville, MD. Attend this workshop to learn about the HCUP databases; their strengths and weaknesses; available tools; and options for technical assistance. In the afternoon, learn how to conduct an interactive analysis related to four research questions:
Compare the charges and length of stay for children with simple appendicitis and ruptured appendicitis in children's hospitals vs. non children's hospitals, large hospitals versus small hospitals, and academic hospitals versus non-academic hospitals.
Describe the demographics and distribution of children hospitalized with non-accidental injuries overall and specifically non-accidental head trauma in the US and estimate sample sizes available for clinical trials (through simulation).
Compare the cost and length of stay for children presenting to the ED with a diagnosis of asthma to the cost and length of stay of children who are admitted to the ICU with a severe asthma diagnosis.
Describe the volume of pediatric patients seen in the ED including admission rates and distribution of admission rates at a systems level by hospital types and sizes.
Limited space is available. Registration is available on a first come, first serve basis.
EMSC to Partner with ATS on National Trauma Month 2011 (01/27/11)
The EMSC Program is teaming up with the American Trauma Society (ATS) and the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) once again to promote National Trauma Awareness Month. Occurring during the month of May, the commemorative celebration is designed to raise awareness about trauma and trauma prevention. This year's observance, "Falls: Preventable at any Age," will focus on proper safety measures to prevent falls from children to the elderly. According to recent epidemiology reports, more than 2.8 million children are treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries each year, with children younger than five years of age representing the largest proportion of visits.
The EMSC National Resource Center will create the materials for this year's observation. A poster along with other marketing and educational resources will be distributed to more than 200 trauma centers throughout the country. Electronic copies of the poster and marketing materials will be available for download on the NRC website in April.
NEDARC Releases 2011 Workshop Dates (01/26/11)
The National EMSC Data Analysis Resource Center (NEDARC) workshops are now posted online and open for registration. These workshops are designed for grantees, state EMS
Those who need to analyze their EMSC performance measure data should register for the Analyzing Your State's EMSC Performance Measure Data workshop in April. Preference will be given to EMSC program managers and principal investigators and to individuals analyzing their EMSC performance measure data. Due to limited space, this workshop is limited to one person per state/territory. Preference will be given to those who did not attend the September 2010 workshop in Tampa, FL.
HRSA Releases PECARN Funding Opportunity Announcement (01/19/11)
The Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Program at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is pleased to announce a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) for the Network Development Demonstration Project (NDDP). The purpose of the EMSC-NDDP cooperative agreement is to continue to demonstrate the value of an infrastructure or network designed to be the platform from which to conduct investigations on the efficacy of treatments, transport, and care responses in emergency care settings, including those preceding the arrival of children to hospital emergency departments. Funded NDDP cooperative agreements and a separately-funded data center make up the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN).
Qualified Applicants: State governments and accredited schools of medicine are the only eligible applicants for funding under the EMSC Program. Up to six awards will be funded at no more than $630,000 in total (direct and indirect) costs per year/per award for four years.
Letter of Intent Deadline: February 15, 2011
Application Deadline: March 16, 2011 at 8:00 pm (Eastern)
Please note that a technical assistance call will be held at 12 noon (Eastern) on January 24, 2011. Details for accessing the call are in the full FOA. For technical assistance or questions, please contact Tasmeen Weik, DrPH, NREMTP.
EMSC/FICEMS To Host Exception From Informed Consent Webinar; Register Today (01/06/11)
On Monday, February 28, 2011, from 10:30 a.m. to noon (Eastern) the EMSC Program and the Federal Interagency Committee on Emergency Medical Services (FICEMS) will host a live MCHCOM.com webcast that will introduce participants to the current issues in conducting clinical trials using the Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) regulations. The results of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-sponsored consensus conference on addressing the barriers to conducting EFIC trails will be presented along with a perspective from the Food and Drug Administration. Please register in advance for this webinar.
Kentucky EMSC Welcomes New Program Manger (01/04/11)
The Kentucky EMSC program welcomes Bud Paine, NREMT-P, as their new EMSC program manager. Bud has been involved in EMS and fire service since the mid-1970s. He has a passion for pediatric prehospital education and sees it as an area woefully underserved in EMS systems nationwide. With his wide and varied background, Bud is able to relate to the unique challenges faced by EMS providers from the most rural volunteer regions to urban providers. Please feel free to welcome Bud to the Program at firstname.lastname@example.com.
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